Confirmed with Link: Kings announce signing kovalchuk to 3 year contract.
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BigKing
Blake Out of Hell III: Back in to Hell
And you'll find some pretty slick highlights of him in a Kings sweater as well. There was never an argument that he wasn't one of the most talented players on the Kings, its just that his current skill level doesn't allow him to effectively play the same way that he used to but he is still playing said way.
Think I read that the played 21 minutes last night. Although I think the game went to OT, he's going to fade quickly playing that many minutes. Six minutes of PP time though will help offset that.
ESPN shows Kovalchuk as recording two hits. https://www.espn.com/nhl/boxscore/_/gameId/401145710
He had two assists and was a -1. His team lost to the worst team in the league.
I wish him well, but let's not get carried away.
He had two assists and was a -1. His team lost to the worst team in the league.
I wish him well, but let's not get carried away.
Choralone
Registered User
Yeah, lets give him a few more games in Montreal before we canonize him and sanctify his martyrdom in LA.
IK has proven he's an expensive journeyman and nothing more.
IK states he wanted to win a cup, returning to the NHL, so why the hell join the Kings in its current state?
Worse yet, his last stand will be with the perpetual loser Montreal Canadiens?
His Public statements and career don't add up. If he had any integrity, he would have held out for a contract to a contender like Washington Boston Tampa Bay or anyone else that actually has a shot at a cup.
IK states he wanted to win a cup, returning to the NHL, so why the hell join the Kings in its current state?
Worse yet, his last stand will be with the perpetual loser Montreal Canadiens?
His Public statements and career don't add up. If he had any integrity, he would have held out for a contract to a contender like Washington Boston Tampa Bay or anyone else that actually has a shot at a cup.
- May 9, 2014
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How can you question the guys integrity when you know nothing about any discussions he has had with other teams. You’re just making stuff up to fit your own narrative. For all we know the contenders all laughed in his face and Montreal were his only option. I fully acknowledge I have no idea but neither do you.
What his stint in Montreal gives him is a chance to show he’s still an NHL player. If he does well then maybe a contender gives him a shot in 20\21.
His agent says he wanted to make a move now and not wait for a contract later at the deadline, so for your ad hominem attacks I accept your apology.
- May 9, 2014
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You just contradicted your own argument. So he wanted to play rather than wait for an offer that may or may not come (he’d have had some idea of the chances). So he signed for the league minimum so he can play. There’s no integrity issue there, none whatsoever.
Also if all the contenders said “no way, not ever” his agent is hardly going to say that to the press. His agents statements are the PR portion of his job, not a factual account of any negotiations. The statement about neither of us having an idea of what his options really were still stands.
Ah, semantics. If he truly wanted a shot at the cup would he sign with the Canadians? Mic dropped.
KingsFan7824
Registered User
The Kings current state was not their state in July 2018. Not that they were a real contender, but apparently the Sharks(also not in their current state at the time) and Bruins were also looking at Kovalchuk, but the Kings gave him the 3rd year's worth of money. The money is more guaranteed than the Cup, so, players will usually take the money.
Not that he made the Kings better. He seems to have made the Kings worse than they are.
But the integrity stuff, that's for armchair morality. It's a job. TB had as many playoff wins as the Kings did last year. You never know.
KingsHockey24
Registered User
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Ziggy Stardust
Master Debater
Steve Zissou
I'll order you a red cap and a Speedo.
It’s called a mic drop - it’s not past tense, Mr. Semantics.
Time to quit while you’re behind.
Wasn't it stated that either his wife or girlfriend wanted to go to LA because she was an actress so it's not like he chose La for hockey.
Don't tell me how to use past tense language, I made it my own little man.
Since you attacked me instead of my argument, I guess you're fair game?
My statement stands...if IK really wanted to win a cup he wouldn't have chose the Montreal Canadiens and he certainly went to sign with the LA Kings-- that is why I challenged his intentions.
So think twice, before you go off topic and pile on.
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Like I said you don’t know what his options truly were. He wanted to play, rather than risk having no options. I’m not sure where the semantics are either... please clarify.
Mic drop? Really?
The Tikkanen
Pest
He's also only played in dead fan markets in Atlanta, NJ and LA. In Montreal the fans are behind him, cheering (that's when you get out of your seat and make noise) when he has the puck. Some players like the added pressure others crumble. I remember hearing a story about when a player was traded from Montreal to SJ and he asked another player there the media was on his first day and the SJ player said this is it.
He's a high-dollar journeyman that would have held out or insisted on going to a real Contender when he returned to the NHL because obviously as stated this was his last shot to get a cup. While you might not see that as spinning the truth on his and his agents behalf, then there's really nothing to debate about.
If his intentions were really to play on a contender he would have held his agent to the fire and made sure he went to the sharks or Pittsburgh or Boston or any other team that was in the market for him if that meant taking less money, he could have made it happen, but as the reports have already stated his wife or girlfriend or whatever wanted to come to LA because she was an actress and or because of the school system or something other than hockey related decisions.
kovacro
Uvijek Vjerni
Ziggy Stardust
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Bandit
Registered User
LAKings88
First round fodder
He looks like he is having fun. Only catching highlights but he has made some nice plays. I like Kovy, hope he can keep it up. We will never hear the end of it tho if he does individually well even if the team goes on another 8 game losing streak.
King'sPawn
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To me, I think it's just a testament that Blake didn't make an error by signing Kovalchuk. He just didn't fit in.
Not that the Kings should have altered their system/team composition to accommodate for him, just that it made sense for the Kings to go after him.
The Tikkanen
Pest
Montreal has a coach who knows how to use him. Put him on the top line, 20 minutes a night-like Brown and Iafallo.
